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Photos of the World's Most Over-the-Top Hotel Suites

Christian L. Wright checks into some extraordinary rooms and hotel suites for a taste of the really good life. Click through to see all of the suites mentioned in her story, then read all about them in the full article.

Hotels at the highest end of the spectrum are trying to outdo one another with bells, whistels, and over-the-top design. At the Hotel Bel-Air, that means a full-size pool and a grand piano in the Presidential Suite.

Raj Palace, Jaipur

Raj Palace, Jaipur

Luxury abounds
](http://www.cntraveler.com/hotels/europe/italy/rome-cavalieri-rome-italy) at this hotel as it is, but in the Penthouse Suite guests lounge on a Karl Lagerfield sofa, stare at Warhol paintings on the walls, and retreat to a rooftop gazebo and solarium.

Waldorf Astoria, New York City

This suite, on the 35th floor of the Waldorf Towers wing, is the only one where every American president since Herbert Hoover has spent the night. Decorated in Georgian style, the interior is reminiscent of the Oval office. Its palette of creams and golds and blues is inspired by the presidential seal—which is on plates in the dining room's breakfront and etched into glass on the sconces in the living room.

Waldorf Astoria, New York City

Waldorf Astoria, New York City

Waldorf Astoria, New York City

This spacious, masculine one-bedroom sprawls like an aristocratic residence. It has two bathrooms and grand empire furnishings peppered with what Sotheby's would call "important pieces." Our favorite things: The airport pickup in a fancy Mercedes, the frequent replenishment of bottles of Romerquelle mineral water and vases of yellow roses, the chilled Laurent-Perrier on arrival, and the proximity of the State Opera house—so close you can almost hear the swish of the conductor's baton.

Gargantuan chandeliers hang from stratospheric ceilings in rooms decorated in a regal white, gold, and navy-blue palette. The living room is big enough for two sitting areas, a desk, and a dining table—all on a parquet floor with intricate marquetry. Bragging rights: The suite has hosted countless luminaries, from Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton to Lady Gaga, with Brad and Angie in between.

This four-bedroom, six-bathroom, two–dining room suite takes up the entire 60th floor and is so opulent that your eyes pop out on stlaks—from the mounds of dates, cookies, and petit fours to the raised green marble tub in one of the bathrooms. Bonus: Hermés toiletries and an Audi A6 pickup.

Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi

The one-bedroom Palace Suite (there are 48 of them) has soaring ceilings that inspire a feeling of privilege. The entry and sitting room are both marked by marble columns; two Doric columns also frame the lush bed. Combine the suite with one or two others to create a self-contained complex.

Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi

Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi

Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi

Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas

You are greeted upon entry by black-vinyl walls and an S&M table. A dark anteroom between the foyer and the master bath features a cage big enough to hold a full-grown man and a set of manacles on chains (but no way to fasten them). The living room has an inlaid carpet made of old black-leather belts. Last June, rumor had it Duran Duran had checked in.

Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas

Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas

Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas

This duplex with a golden curving staircase has three bedrooms, each with his-and-her bathrooms, 36-foot ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, an iMac, a kitchen stocked with waters and juices, a gym with a steam room, and not so much space as acreage. Last spring, a princess from Oman—with three daughters in town—took up residence for a week. All four had their hair styled in the suite's salon every day, to the tune of $220 a blowout.

A duplex with a spiral staircase, cashmere walls, and killer veiws of Central Park. One turn of the key gives you the kind of entrée to high-society New York that money usually takes a lot longer to buy. Pay attention to the black-and-white photo gallery—it was organized by the Metropolitan Museum of Art's photo department curator. And watch your feet: We found nail clippings on the carpet.